


Sunflower

by ApolloGeek27



Category: The Founder of Diabolism, The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī (Cartoon), 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Death Rituals, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Fem!Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli's Courtesy Name is Jiang Ning, M/M, Mo Xuanyu Needs A Hug, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2019-09-21 18:33:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17048414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApolloGeek27/pseuds/ApolloGeek27
Summary: When Mo Xuanyu executed the Body Offering Ritual, he only expected three things to happen.One: His soul would be destroyed. Two: Wei Wuxian would be summoned and take over his body. Three: He would finally get revenge on the miserable people he calls 'family'.None of these things happen.No, instead, Mo Xuanyu botches up the ritual so badly that he somehow managed to send himself back in time.That wasn't even the worse part. No, the worst part was that his soul ended up going back in time into the body of some orphan street rat.Mo Xuanyu would soon realize, however, that the ritual that was supposed to call the spirit of Wei Wuxian, instead, turned him INTO Wei Wuxian.Now Mo Xuanyu had to somehow live his life as the Grandmaster of fucking Demonic Cultivation while still getting revenge on his 'family'.How the fuck is he supposed to deal with this!?





	1. Revenge Is Best Served By A Gay Lunatic

Mo Xuanyu eyed the floor of the shed critically, which was as clean as it will ever be. 

Tonight was the night. 

The full-moon was high up in the sky, glowing with a mysterious power that mere mortals could not comprehend. Corpses were close by Mo Village, giving him the perfect cover to perform the ritual. Not to mention, his pig of a cousin hasn't stolen the more important tools needed for the ritual.

Still, Mo Xuanyu hesitated. He knew that if he went through with this, that if he performed the Body Offering Ritual, his soul would no longer exist. It would be used to power the curse scars and bind the evil spirit to his body, disintegrating into nothing. 

But, when Mo Xuanyu thought of his mother- _beautiful, sweet, kind mother_ -who died hanging herself from a pillar in the shed for shame of having a disgrace of a son, the fire in his heart burned with hatred.

Even if he died, at least he would have died avenging his dear mother's provoked death.

Mo Xuanyu took a deep breath and turned to the box of makeup he left on the stand. He opened it and slathered himself in white powder before circling his eyes with red rogue. He contemplated putting some rogue on his lips before throwing the idea away, he'd look more like a clown than a hanged ghost at this point. It was more fitting to look like a hanged ghost. After all, he was going to be a dead man soon.

Mo Xuanyu then closed the box of makeup- _the only thing left of his mother_ -and grabbed the ritual knife that he had managed to sneak out of Carp Tower. The ornamental knife was beautiful, with its golden designs of peonies and foxes carved in the handle. It's silver edge glinted in the dim candle light, reminding him that despite it's beauty, it was deadly.

Mo Xuanyu kneeled on the floor and cut his arm, the wound stinging when it met the cold air. The candles surrounding him flickered. Blood dripped down his arm and into the palm of his hand. He wet his fingertips with the blood and then began to draw the array from memory.

**Blood Used As A Lure**

**Flesh Willingly Given**

**Soul Turned To Chains Of This Contract**

**Spirit I Summon Thee**

**Come, Yiling Patriarch, Wei Wuxian**

**Grant My Wish!**

Mo Xuanyu speared his arms up towards the sky, welcoming the vortex of demonic energy above him into his body. The energy poured into his body in a violent manner, his eyes glowing red with the absurd amount of power going through his body. A crazed smile laid on his face as he thought of all the demented things that the Yiling Patriarch would do to his so-called 'family'.

Unknown to Mo Xuanyu, the ritual array he drew was incomplete. Wei Wuxian had never finished completing the ritual, busy dealing with the entire cultivation world turning against him. He died before he was able to finish the ritual. Thus the array he drew was a mere prototype, not tested at all. Not to mention, all these years of being beaten and abused by the Mo Clan took a toll on Mo Xuanyu, making his memory spotty at best when trying to recreate the ritual.

So, when Mo Xuanyu began to perform the ritual, he had mistakenly wrote some of the words wrong in the array. Like instead of writing the word 'Sacrifice' in the array, Mo Xuanyu wrote 'Rebirth'. The same went with writing the word 'Spirit' where 'Body' should be and vice versa. There were some other mistakes, like the fact that Mo Xuanyu forgot to bring the ceremonial wine to appease the spirit as well as forgetting to offer the bloody heart of a noble animal to the spirit.

But, at this time, Mo Xuanyu did not have a care in the world. All he knew was that he was one step closer for his revenge. And so, the ritual continued on. And soon, Mo Xuanyu felt his soul slipping out of his body. Slowly, it left, leaving behind an empty shell. 

The last thoughts that Mo Xuanyu had was that for a person whose soul was about to be destroyed into pieces, he surprisingly felt peaceful.


	2. Promoted As The Big Bad Of The World

Mo Xuanyu slowly opened his eyes. The sound of a bustling market reached his ears and the smell of filth entered his nose. The sight that met his eyes was impossible, should be impossible. A beautiful blue sky laid above him, as if Mo Xuanyu didn't just sacrifice his body for an evil spirit. 

Mo Xuanyu took a deep breath-  _he should be dead not able to breathe at all -_ and slowly got up. His hands grasped the jutting bricks from the alleyway wall and pulled him up. His legs were a little wobbly, but standing for a few seconds stabilized him. 

Mo Xuanyu walked out of the alleyway and into the market place, the light from the sun stinging his eyes. He spotted a puddle of water off to the side and walked to it.

His body felt uncomfortably short and small, different from it's usual thin and lanky limbs. Not to mention, his clothes were basically just like rags, dirty and grimy with none of the coarseness that Mo Xuanyu was used to wearing, a servants robes. No, these robes had previously been silk, worn down from overuse and tear.   

When he looked into the puddle, all his reflection showed was a malnourished child. However, the malnourished child didn't look anything like he did when he was young. 

This child had grey eyes, a more darker color than his previous silver eyes, and black hair, different from his blackish-brown hair. The facial structure of the child was more masculine and sharper, resembling the ideal version of male beauty. This classic handsomeness was different from Mo Xuanyu's more delicate and softer form. 

In a way, it was like looking at a stranger. Mo Xuanyu touched his face, a little alarmed at occupying a foreign body. It was only then that he spotted a name on the rags he wore. He grabbed the sleeve of the robe and brought it up closer to his face, only to read something extraordinary. 'Wei Ying; Wuxian'.

Mo Xuanyu kept reading and rereading the words, certain that he read the words wrong. However, no matter how many times his eyes looked at the characters sewed onto the rags, the name 'Wei Ying; Wuxian' still stayed the same.

Staring at the name, Mo Xuanyu realized that he had just fucked up majorly.

* * *

Mo Xuanyu couldn't tell how much time passed by. It was only when his stomach growled at him, aching for some substance to fill it, that he realized that some time had passed by.

Mo Xuanyu stepped away from the puddle and began to walk through the crowded streets. His mind pushed the- _very giant fucking mess_ -delicate issue that he encountered to the back of his head. Mo Xuanyu reasoned that he could deal with the whole problem after he filled his stomach. 

Mo Xuanyu remembered back when he was in his own body- _oh god he was in the body of the Yiling Patriarch how the hell did this happen_ -that his aunt and cousin would often let him go to bed with no food. Because of this, Mo Xuanyu often had to sneak out of the shed- _where his 'relatives' kept him like a fucking dog_ -and find scraps of food on the roadside. Sometimes, Mo Xuanyu even had to eat the animal feed that his 'family' fed the Mo Clan donkey.

Mo Xuanyu scurried alongside the roadside, looking for any dropped fruit or vegetables. He knew that people could survive without eating meat for some time. Plants, however, carried most of the nutrients that humans needed to have in order to function. He also needed to drink some water, but that was a worry for another day.

Mo Xuanyu spotted an elderly lady drop one of her apples. She didn't seem to notice it, which was good news for Mo Xuanyu. Mo Xuanyu quickly rushed forward to grab the apple, however, before he could even reach the apple, a dog came near by. 

Mo Xuanyu would have ignored the dog but his body didn't do the same. Instead, his body froze up quickly, paralyzing his legs to stay in the same spot. His hands began to shake and his eyes teared up. His breath came out labored and sweat began to fall down his back.

The dog took the apple and ran away.

As soon as the dog left, Mo Xuanyu's body unfroze itself and collapsed onto the floor. Mo Xuanyu stared at the ground- _what the heck was that_ -uncertain of what just happened. 

"Hey! Get outta the way!" 

At the yell of a merchant close by, Mo Xuanyu got up and scampered off the road and into another alleyway. Mo Xuanyu leaned on the wall, his eyes glued to his hands. 

" . . . the Yiling Patriarch . . . is afraid . . . of dogs . . . "

Mo Xuanyu mulled over the thought for a few seconds before a snicker escaped from his mouth. It was then Mo Xuanyu, on some unseen signal, burst out laughing like a madman.

 "Oh, God! Hahaha! Oh my God! Hahaha!"

Soon the laughter began to die down. Mo Xuanyu calmed himself, a grin on his face. The idea that the terrifying Yiling Patriarch, the Boogey Man of the cultivation world, the greatest evil to have ever existed, was afraid of dogs was hilarious. But Mo Xuanyu's new body proved otherwise. 

This new incriminating piece of evidence illustrated, however, that the Yiling Patriarch was human. Yes, yes, the Yiling Patriarch was a human being, not an evil spirit. 

Mo Xuanyu idly wondered what happened to the soul of the Yiling Patriarch. Was he in his body right now, causing havoc on all the self-righteous pricks of the world. Or, perhaps, his soul was truly destroyed, never to be reborn or return to the world of the living again. 

Mo Xuanyu sighed. In a way, he wasn't surprised that the ritual failed. He wasn't a genius, just a servant boy given the opportunity to cultivate. The fact that he's in the body of the Yiling Patriarch, who is now a child and hasn't even become the Yiling Patriarch yet, showed just how bad he was at cultivating.

God, how stupid was he? To mess up a ritual to summon someone else's soul and turn it into a body snatching ritual. At this rate, getting revenge was hopeless.  

. . . unless Mo Xuanyu decided to get revenge on his so-called 'family' before they make his life living hell. Mo Xuanyu realized that he still had a chance on getting revenge on his 'relatives'. Sure, he's years early but revenge waits for no one. 

Not to mention, his mother was still alive. He could save her, give her a good life. Make sure she was happy in this lifetime, maybe even find her a good man to marry. 

And, and, he was in the Yiling Patriarch's body. One of the most powerful cultivators of this era. Mo Xuanyu didn't need to only get revenge on the Mo Clan. He could also get revenge on the Jin Clan- _those god damn peacocks_ -, on Jin Guangshan- _that disgusting fuck boy_ -, on Jin Guangyao- _that horrible excuse of a person_ -, and on all those Jin assholes who made his life living hell.   

A huge smile spread onto Mo Xuanyu's face. However, it slipped off of him a few minutes later. Mo Xuanyu was a realist, getting revenge would take years. His body was that of a childs and would take a long time to mature. There is also the fact that he would need to cultivate and that would require a Sect. And despite using demonic cultivation for the ritual, Mo Xuanyu didn't know how to use it like the Yiling Patriarch did.

Not to mention, Mo Xuanyu didn't even know much of what happened before the Yiling Patriarch died. Mo Xuanyu was born after Wei Wuxian died, his mother a celebratory prize for Jin Guangshan. He barely remembered much of how the Yiling Patriarch even became famous, only rumors and fake stories reached his ears. Trying to navigate the past as the most hated man of the cultivation world while getting revenge on all the people he wanted to ruin would be incredibly difficult. 

Mo Xuanyu sighed once more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mo Xuanyu is 25 years old. 
> 
> The Yiling Patriarch has been dead for 26 years instead of 13 years.


	3. Strangers Will Either Backstab, Kidnap, Or Poison Others

In the end, Mo Xuanyu decided that if the opportunity ever presented itself for him to take revenge, he would take it. He was practical enough to know that there were too many variables for him to actually guarantee success on his revenge. 

Mo Xuanyu examined the body he was in. It was thin, very thin. It was like this body of his experienced starvation on a daily basis. His skin was dirty, dirt and dust covered his form. There were even signs of injuries, faded yellow and ugly greens decorated him like a painting. Looking at all the evidence, it was easy to see that the Yiling Patriarch was living on the streets for a period of time.

Honestly, it was a little surprising to find out that the Yiling Patriarch lived on the street for some of his childhood. It was known to mostly everyone that the Yiling Patriarch was part of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect before cutting all ties with it due to a spat with the Sect Leader. In a way, Mo Xuanyu expected to be in the Yunmeng Jiang Sect because of the body he was inhabiting in. There was never any information about the Yiling Patriarch being a street rat.

Unless . . . the Yunmeng Jiang Sect purposefully forced the Yiling Patriarch to live on the streets as a child. But, that didn't make much sense. Especially since the Yiling Patriarch was the adopted son of the previous Sect Leader.

Mo Xuanyu might have had the most fucked up family dynamic in the world but that didn't mean that he didn't know what a healthy relationship was. It was said that the previous Sect Leader doted on the Yiling Patriarch like a father to a son, so forcing the Yiling Patriarch to live on the streets didn't seem like something that the previous Sect Leader would do.

So, that means, that something must have happened to force the Yiling Patriarch on the streets . . . ?

Mo Xuanyu didn't have a clue. Perhaps it had to do with the Yiling Patriarch's parents. Mo Xuanyu never heard about them, he only knew that the Yiling Patriarch was adopted into the Jiang Clan. Maybe they died. All in all, Mo Xuanyu didn't care much- _they weren't his parents after all_ -despite being in the body of the Yiling Patriarch.

Still, it was odd to think that the Yiling Patriarch suffered such a fate like this in his childhood. How awful it must have been, for a child to try and survive on the streets. At least Mo Xuanyu was 17 years old when he was discarded- _more like tricked into being a fucking scapegoat_ -from the Lanling Jin Sect, forced to fend for himself. The Yiling Patriarch didn't have that luxury.

Mo Xuanyu looked up at the sky, the sun shining as brightly as ever, and decided it was time to attempt to fill his stomach once more. As much as he would have liked to contemplate on the life of the Yiling Patriarch, it would be better to find some food before nightfall.

Mo Xuanyu, once again, began to search for food. This time he made sure to avoid any places that had dogs around. Mo Xuanyu didn't want the incident- _even thinking about the dog made his body shiver in fear_ -that happened earlier to happen again.

After searching for some time, Mo Xuanyu was able to spot a fallen peach nearby. When Mo Xuanyu came closer to the fruit, he realized that it was over ripe and, therefore, inedible. His stomach growled at him once more. Mo Xuanyu could only smile helplessly at the fruit. He might just have to eat the fruit if there were no other options.

Unknown to him, a figure loomed behind him with mysterious intentions. Mo Xuanyu only realized that he was no longer alone by the large shadow that was casted over him. When Mo Xuanyu turned around, he saw a man in fine robes of purple holding out a melon slice to him.

Mo Xuanyu eyed the stranger warily. He knew that some men in the world had a sick taste for young boys, it wouldn't be surprising that someone would try and kidnap him. His gentle smile and friendly attitude-  _just like that fucker Jin Guangyao_ -could just be a front to grab him.

"Are you Wei Wuxian?" The man asked him. At that, Mo Xuanyu tensed up and slowly nodded. The man noticed his tension and tried to calm him down. "I apologize. I am the Sect Leader of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect, Jiang Fengmian. I was friends with your parents and have come to search for you."

At that, Mo Xuanyu roamed his eyes over the man's- _Jiang Fengmian's -_ figure. Mo Xuanyu was able to spot the motif of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect on his clothes, the traditional top-knot for Sect Leader's on his head, the very expensive- _not as expensive as the Jin Clan's but fuck those guys_ -lotus designs. Seeing all of this, Mo Xuanyu relaxed a little. However, he was still on his guard. After all, Mo Xuanyu learnt his lesson with the Jin Clan. It was best not to fully trust others. 

"Here, take this. You must be hungry." Jiang Fengmian further brought up the melon slice to Mo Xuanyu. Mo Xuanyu looked at the melon slice and snatched it from Jiang Fengmian's hands. Mo Xuanyu knew that Jiang Fengmian wouldn't have poisoned the melon, it seemed stupid for a Sect Leader to come all the way just to find him and kill him. It was silly to think that he would try and kill Mo Xuanyu in the first place. But living in the Jin Clan and Mo Clan has made him cautious. 

As Mo Xuanyu chewed on the melon slice, Jiang Fengmian looked over at him with a soft smile. Once Mo Xuanyu was finished eating the slice, Jiang Fengmian extended his hand towards him. Mo Xuanyu glanced at the hand in suspicion. 

"Let's go home." Mo Xuanyu stared into Jiang Fengmian's eyes, gauging his sincerity, before hesitantly putting his own small hand into the larger one. The larger hand enveloped his tiny one gently, warmth being infused into his body. For one second, Mo Xuanyu forgot the person who was holding his hand and savored the moment. It's been so long since someone touched him with no ill intent. Unknown to him, a slight smile crossed his lips. Only Jiang Fengmian seemed to notice it.

Mo Xuanyu had to remember now that he wasn't Mo Xuanyu anymore. He was Wei Wuxian now, the Yiling Patriarch who hasn't made his mark on the world yet. Mo Xuanyu wasn't in danger for the time being, not until the war started. So, for now, he can relax. Or relax as much as he can.

After all, he was now the future Yiling Patriarch. 


	4. Welcome To Hell, It's Called Lotus Pier

Mo Xuanyu watched from his spot on the boat as Jiang Fengmian stepped onto the dock and towards the direction of two little girls. Both girls approached Jiang Fengmian with a smile on their face, the older one holding what seemed to be a gift box with a red ribbon while the younger one was holding a trio of kittens that seemed to be trying to escape her grasp. 

Jiang Fengmian seemed to be saying something to the girls before he faced his direction, his hands waving at Mo Xuanyu to come forward and meet the girls. 

Mo Xuanyu stared at the trio ahead of him before stepping on the dock reluctantly. Mo Xuanyu knew that even if he tried to refuse, Jiang Fengmian will still find another way to get what he wants. After all, that's how it always was. Whatever the man in charge wanted, he got it.

While walking in the direction of the trio, Mo Xuanyu took this time to examine the Future First Wife of the Qinghe Nie Sect and the Future Sect Leader of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. 

The Future Matriarch of the Nie Clan, Jiang Ning, was a pretty child. Her gentle smile, calm temperament, and sweet nature truly marked her as one of the most beautiful women. The fact that she was able to restrain her ill-tempered husband, Nie Mingjue, just made her all the more remarkable.

The Future Sect Leader, Jiang Wanyin, was also a pretty child. With fierce eyes, a proud bearing, and a strong disposition, it was no wonder that the cultivation world trembled in her wake. Even as a child, the Sandu Shangshou still made others wary of gaining her anger.

But more than that, Jiang Wanyin was the person who killed the Yiling Patriarch. The person who would in the distant future kill him.

Mo Xuanyu bit his lips at that thought before banishing it to the back of his mind. Getting distracted in front of the three people ahead of him would be bad.

Soon, when Mo Xuanyu came close enough to the three people waiting for him, Jiang Fengmian introduced his daughters to him. "This is my eldest daughter, Jiang Yanli, and my younger daughter, Jiang Cheng."

Jiang Ning- _no, he couldn't call her that unless he wants to show off some knowledge that a street rat should definitely not have_ -smiled at him while Jiang Cheng eyed his clothes critically.

"Welcome to Lotus Pier. Please call me shijie, A-Xian." Jiang Yanli smiled before a worried look came over her face. "It's okay if I call you that, is it?" 

Mo Xuanyu smiled crookedly, not used to using that expression from years of ridicule and torment. "It's fine, Maide- Shijie."

Jiang Yanli looked relived before presenting the gift box in her arms to him. Inside the gift box was purple silk clothing with an embellished lotus symbol on it as well as pair of bells carved with his new name on it. Looking at the clothing, Mo Xuanyu could instantly tell that what he was looking at was a cultivator's robes, one meant for a disciple of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. The pair of bells also indicated that whoever wore it was a member of the Jiang Clan.

"This is for you. I hope you like it." Jiang Fengmian smiled at him.

The fact that they were presenting this to him made Mo Xuanyu feel a mixture of turbulent emotions, some positive and some negative. However, before he could properly respond to the gift another person interrupted him. 

Jiang Cheng bluntly said to him, "You look weird."

Mo Xuanyu raised an eyebrow to that before responding in kind. "And you're short."

Jiang Cheng's eye twitched at that.

"Now, now, A-Cheng, don't cause a ruckus. A-Xian will be living with us from now on. Make sure to get along with him, okay?" Jiang Yanli tried to sooth Jiang Cheng.

All Jiang Cheng did was turn around angrily and roughly pet her kittens. 

Mo Xuanyu grinned at the scene, amused.

Maybe living here wouldn't be that bad. 

* * *

Mo Xuanyu was dressed in the clothes that Jiang Yanli gifted him with, sitting down in the Jiang Clan's Dinning Hall with the rest of the Jiang Clan's Main Family, eating the food in front of him.

It was completely silent in the Dinning Hall. 

Not that it was a real problem. Mo Xuanyu was grateful for the silence. It allowed him to come to turns with most of the things that happened today. 

What was truly problematic was the fact that Yu Ziyuan, the wife of Jiang Fengmian, was glaring at him like he was the bastard child brought into the family by the adulterous husband.

It reminded him of the time that Jin Guangshan- _that goddamn bastard_ -introduced him to Madam Jin.

Despite the fact that Mo Xuanyu had done nothing to her, Madam Jin regarded him as a demon from Hell. She never physically hurt him but her strong disapproval was enough to weigh heavily on his fragile mind. 

Yu Ziyuan was the same as Madam Jin, regarding his existence as a slight against her despite the fact that he had done nothing to her. He wasn't even a bastard child this time around!

Why couldn't women simply take out their frustrations on the person who was at fault instead of him?! Was he just the type to be easily hated and blamed?!

Back when Mo Xuanyu was under Madam Jin's thumb, he would be silent and try to avoid her as much as possible. He was even isolated from the Jin Clan in order to appease her delicate- _delicate my ass_ -sensibilities. 

Now that Mo Xuanyu was suffering through this type of treatment again, he decided that he was going to try another method of dealing with this.

Which is why Mo Xuanyu was simply drinking the soup in front of him, ignoring the fuming Yu Ziyuan entirely.

If he couldn't fight back then he'll just ignore her! Anything would be better than feeling guilty for being alive. 

Soon, Yu Ziyuan left the Dinning Hall, taking with her all the tension in the room.

"I apologize for my wife's reaction . . . she was just taken unaware with you being here." Jiang Fengmian seemed uncomfortable when he said that. 

Mo Xuanyu shook his head. "It's . . . okay."

Jiang Fengmian smiled. "Now onto much more pleasant topics. Yanli'er will take you to your room after you finish eating and the next morning you will be joining Cheng'er in her cultivator classes."

Mo Xuanyu blinked a little at that. "You . . . want me to be a cultivator?"

Jiang Cheng snorted. "Of course! Why else would Father give you the disciple clothes?"

Mo Xuanyu mulled over that. While he knew that as the Yiling Patriarch it was obvious that he would cultivate, he wasn't that good of a cultivator back when he was at the Lanling Jin Sect. Whether it was because he never got proper teaching, never had good materials, had a weak body, or was bullied severely which caused him to have a set back, he wasn't a good cultivator. 

Mo Xuanyu sighed.

In the end it didn't matter what happened in his past, his fate was already set in stone. 

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the song 'Sunflower' by Post Malone and Swae Lee. 
> 
> Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApXoWvfEYVU&index=15&list=RDMMGKQvAXYcZoo
> 
> The song came out with 'Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse'. Great movie. I recommend watching it.


End file.
